October 5th vs. Anaheim: ALDS Game 2

[example1]

I agree with you to a degree' date=' Kilo. He will improve as he gets accustomed to all the changes. That said, the biggest improvement will come if he's able to master the strikezone, something he lacked early, middle, and late in the season, so I'm hesitiant to attribute that to fatigue only. If what we've seen thus far is typical of his command, he'll continue to make his own mess and get burned by it. Consider me very cautiously optimistic.[/quote']

 

And I agree with you, ORS, but am less cautious in my optimism. Shrink Greg Maddox's strikezone by an inch or two on all sides and I think it will take him awhile to start getting the calls too. One can watch countless example of Dice-K getting strikeouts by "painting" the corner in Japan--but the old adage "expand the strikezone with 2 strikes" does not exist in MLB at this time (it used to). I think once he figures out how to attack THAT strike zone he will be getting his share of called third strikes. Also, he needs to spend the offseason perfecting (re-finding, perhaps) his change-up, which was one of his best pitches but which is rarely used effectively now even to lefties.

 

Fatigue has been an issue, adjustment to America has been an issue, adjustment to #7 hitters who can hit the ball 450 feet has been an adjustment. However, he had more than 200 K, was 6th in strikeouts and K/9, and 9th best in the league in H/9. It's all about walks and homeruns killing him. He isn't able to use all his pitches, but battled through a tough season, showed that he's obviously got balls, and that he's capable of getting MLB hitters out... sometimes in astounding fashion.

[example1]

I wonder why Don Orsillo is commentating the Rockies series and not the Sox. It seems pretty obvious to have the Red Sox commentator commentate for the Sox if he is going to commentate in the playoffs... Who cares about bias' date=' he at least knows what he is doing and knows the Red Sox.[/quote']

 

Yeah, seems pretty obvious that they don't want the hometeam announcer just following his team through the playoffs... why not just hire Remy and have Don and Remy announce the Sox world series run to the rest of the country???

[TedWilliams101]

Yea, thats why I've always wished that the playoffs weren't exclusively on one network. It would be WAY better if it was on both teams networks + a national network.